Empower, Innovate, Impact! At Team A-TEK, we EMPOWER people to drive INNOVATION that IMPACTS mission!
A-TEK operates at the intersection of mission and innovation by applying our deep domain expertise across the federal markets. Embracing our digital-first strategy, A-TEK provides enhanced capabilities in application development, digital transformation, enterprise IT, and scientific services. Our solutions are designed to modernize, automate, secure, protect, and enhance the operations of our federal clients, ensuring they stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Our work is fueled by a passion to serve our clients’ needs and to protect the safety and welfare of Americans. That passion shapes how we nurture our most valuable asset – Our Employees. A-TEK actively cultivates the talent that drives our success and fosters a creative, challenging, and mission-driven work environment for current and future employees.
A-TEK is seeking an early-career Federal AI Solutions Engineer to support the design, development, and deployment of mission-focused AI and cloud solutions across AWS and Azure environments. This role is ideal for recent graduates with a strong academic foundation in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, software engineering, and cloud technologies who are eager to apply their skills to real-world federal mission challenges.
The engineer will work alongside senior architects and engineers to develop AI-enabled applications, cloud-native solutions, automation workflows, and rapid prototypes that support A-TEK's DigitalShift innovation initiatives.
This is a hybrid role based in McLean, VA. No visa sponsorship is available for this role. This role requires the ability to obtain and retain a public trust level security clearance.
Key Responsibilities
AI Solution Development
- Assist in the design, development, and deployment of AI-powered applications and prototypes using:
- AWS Bedrock
- Azure OpenAI
- LangChain, LlamaIndex, Semantic Kernel, CrewAI, or similar frameworks
- Develop and test prompt engineering strategies, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) workflows, and AI agent capabilities.
- Support integration of AI solutions with APIs, enterprise systems, and cloud services.
Cloud Engineering
- Build and maintain cloud-based environments in AWS and Azure.
- Assist with infrastructure deployment using Infrastructure-as-Code tools such as Terraform, AWS CDK, or Bicep.
- Support containerized deployments using ECS, EKS, or AKS.
- Participate in CI/CD implementation and cloud automation efforts.
Technical Support & Innovation
- Support senior engineers in troubleshooting cloud, AI, and data integration challenges.
- Assist in developing reusable templates, accelerators, and reference architectures.
- Participate in rapid prototyping efforts that demonstrate mission value for federal customers.
Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing
- Collaborate with Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Intelligence, and Agile Engineering teams.
- Contribute to technical documentation, architecture diagrams, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
- Stay current with emerging AI, machine learning, and cloud technologies.
Security & Compliance
- Support implementation of solutions that align with:
- NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF)
- FedRAMP requirements
- Zero Trust principles
- Secure coding and responsible AI practices
Required Qualifications
Education (Required)
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with a concentration, specialization, minor, or significant coursework in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, or a closely related field.
Experience
- 0–2 years of professional software engineering, AI/ML, or cloud development experience.
- Relevant internships, research projects, capstone projects, graduate assistantships, or co-op experience may be substituted for professional experience.
- Demonstrated programming experience in Python through coursework, projects, internships, or employment.
Technical Skills
- Foundational understanding of machine learning, generative AI, and large language models.
- Experience using cloud platforms (AWS or Azure) through coursework, internships, certifications, or projects.
- Familiarity with:
- REST APIs
- Git version control
- Containerization concepts
- Data pipelines and databases
- Understanding of prompt engineering, RAG concepts, or AI agents through academic or personal projects.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Certifications
One of the following is preferred within the first year of employment:
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or AWS Solutions Architect Associate
- Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) or Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)
Preferred Qualifications
- Academic or project experience with:
- LangChain
- LlamaIndex
- Semantic Kernel
- CrewAI
- Exposure to vector databases such as Pinecone, Weaviate, FAISS, or Milvus.
- Experience building AI, machine learning, or cloud-based capstone projects.
- Familiarity with DevOps, MLOps, or CI/CD concepts.
- Interest in federal government missions and emerging AI technologies.
Compensation
Salary Range
$85,000 – $105,000 annually
Salary will be determined based on education, certifications, internship experience, technical proficiency, and security clearance eligibility.
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- 401(k) with Employer Match
- Paid Time Off and Federal Holidays
- Professional Development and Certification Reimbursement
- Career Growth and Mentorship Opportunities
Candidates may use tools (including AI) for proofreading or formatting; however, using any tool to fabricate, exaggerate, or misrepresent qualifications, experience, or work product is not permitted. We may assess application materials for job-related technical depth, internal consistency, and demonstrated hands-on experience, including through follow-up questions, skills assessments, or reference checks. Verification of education may be requested before or during the hiring process.
For security and identity verification purposes, participants may be asked to temporarily disable virtual backgrounds during portions of the call.
Misrepresentation or falsification may result in removal from further consideration. Candidates who need a reasonable accommodation in the application or interview process may request one.
A-TEK, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or status as a qualified individual with a disability, or Vietnam era or other protected Veteran status.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with significant coursework in AI, ML, Data Science, or related field.
- 0-2 years professional experience in software engineering, AI/ML, or cloud development (internships and projects acceptable).
- Demonstrated programming experience in Python.
- Ability to obtain and retain a Public Trust security clearance.
- Foundational understanding of machine learning, generative AI, and large language models.
- Experience using cloud platforms (AWS or Azure) through coursework, internships, certifications, or projects.
- Familiarity with REST APIs, Git version control, containerization concepts, data pipelines, and databases.
- Understanding of prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) concepts, and AI agents.
- Familiarity with Infrastructure-as-Code and cloud infrastructure tools (Terraform, AWS CDK, or Bicep).
- Experience or familiarity with container orchestration and services (ECS, EKS, or AKS) and CI/CD practices.
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Solutions Architect Associate, AZ-900, or AI-900 (preferred within first year).
- Experience or academic/project exposure to LangChain, LlamaIndex, Semantic Kernel, CrewAI, and vector databases (Pinecone, Weaviate, FAISS, Milvus).
- Familiarity with DevOps, MLOps, and interest in federal mission contexts (preferred).
What We Do
A-TEK, and our wholly-owned subsidiary, Mackson Consulting | an A-TEK Company, are woman-owned small businesses with more than a 23-year history providing science and technology innovation. As a trusted services and solutions provider, we are a proud partner to U.S. Federal Civilian, Federal Health, and Homeland Security customers. A-TEK, and its subsidiary, Mackson Consulting, provides high-end IT services and solutions, coupled with a scientific staffing capability that supports health and national security missions. Our customers include U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services (National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)), Department of Commerce (DoC), Department of Justice(DoJ), Veteran Affairs (VA), and the Library of Congress (Library). A-TEK maintains its competitiveness by applying domain expertise across the federal markets. We provide enhanced capabilities in application development, enterprise IT, and scientific services that optimize, modernize, secure, protect, improve, and comply with customers’ needs. A-TEK's program engagement model employs methodologies and strategies based on PMBOK and our ISO 9001:2015 certified quality assurance processes to successfully meet schedule, budget and performance objectives. A-TEK, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or status as a qualified individual with a disability, or Vietnam era or other protected Veteran status. Contract Vehicles: NIH CIO-SP3 IT Services - HHSN316201200006W GSA Schedule 70 - Information Technology Products and Services: GS-35F-0680K GSA Schedule 6211 - VA Affairs-Professional & Allied Healthcare Staffing: V77P-7135 GSA Schedule 874 MOBIS - GS-10F-0099Y
